Evaluation of the Ticket to Work Program Initial Evaluation Report

work period automation and tracking). The DCF will remain the repository of work
information that affects Ticket status and disability benefit eligibility (data on work and
medical CDRs, Tickets, earnings, and use of work incentives such as the trail work period).
SSA expects to begin releasing eWork as a national system in spring 2004.
Higher Priority of Post-Entitlement Workloads. TTW has raised the importance of
processing post-entitlement disability workloads. With a few exceptions, SSA has not
historically placed a high priority on the processing of this workload. 4 This is particularly the
case for post-entitlement work-related issues in the DI program. The implementation of the
Area Work Incentive Coordinators and Work Incentive Liaisons and the development of
MRTW/eWork will greatly facilitate the processing of this workload in the future.
According to field staff, SSA leadership is also sending the message that this is now a priority
workload. In addition to the tools and extra training on work incentive issues that SSA has
been developing and providing to field staff since implementation of TTW, SSA is in the
process of developing a performance evaluation system that will give a higher weight to
post-entitlement work. The new system is expected to be implemented in FY 2005.
c. Impact of TTW on SSA Regional and Field Office Operations
The bulk of the effort to develop and implement TTW fell on SSA central office staff
and the Program Manager. SSA believed that the impact of TTW on field office operations
would be minimal, and to date this has proven to be the case. Regional and field office
interviewees indicate that field office workloads have not been significantly affected by
TTW, and the need to respond to TTW-related inquiries has not been overwhelming.
Regional office interviewees note that, early on, they were asked to review and comment
on the TTW rules and procedures developed by the central office. Their role in
implementing TTW, however, has been mainly to build TTW awareness, understanding, and
acceptance. Regional office staff use information provided by the central office obtained
through conference calls, policy material, interactive video training, and information packets
to educate field staff and external stakeholders. Regional offices have sponsored
informational forums for representatives of Disability Determination Services, Medicare,
Medicaid, and other advocate, service, and support agencies working with disability program
beneficiaries. Regional offices have also assisted the Program Manager in conducting EN
recruitment activities. The scope and frequency of these activities are limited by regional
office budgets, which have not been expanded specifically to cover TTW implementation
activities.
Once initial TTW phase-in activities in a state are completed, regional office
involvement in TTW outreach and dissemination activities becomes more limited. The
regional office continues to act as a resource for TTW-related information, technical
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4 In recent years, SSA has made the processing of medical CDRs and SSI
redeterminations high priority.
III: TTW Early Implementation